DISTRICT NEWS AND EVENTS
We are pleased to provide you information about soil, water, and related natural resource conservation; help you address local soil and water resource concerns; and connect you to sources of educational, technical, and financial assistance to implement conservation practices and technologies.
We are excited to help raise funding in order to administrate and/or implement projects that are responsive to our local conservation objectives.
We welcome your engagement and involvement! Learn more about our recent activities and find ways to connect with us as we implement our strategic plan.
High Street Dam Feasibility Study
There will be a public meeting about the High St. Dam on November 15th (2022) at 6pm in the Firefly Room, located on the 2nd floor of Madjax (located at 515 E. Main St in downtown Muncie). The meeting will examine the potential for full removal, partial removal, or modification of the dam.
National Association of Conservation Districts Grant
We have begun implementing our First Steps in Conservation Planning program. 10 participants signed up for the Quarter 3 deadline and those plans/resources are in development. In partnership with the NRCS, we have created GIS maps for each of the 10 properties. We have scheduled a drone survey to be completed the first week of November with Purdue Extension. As part of this drone program, 275 adjacent landowners will be contacted by direct mail to alert them of the drone flight, explain the First Steps program, and provide applications for the Quarter 4 First Steps deadline..
The Regenerative Agriculture Journey
The SWCD hosted The Regenerative Agriculture Journey: Stories from East Central Indiana and Beyond on August 25th from 8am-2pm at the Farm Bureau building on IN-67. The event was made possible through a grant from the National Associaiton of Conservation Districts. Speakers were Cameron Mills, David Kleinschmidt, and Delaware County SWCD Supervisors Jeremy Russell and Joe Hamilton.
Twenty-four attended, with one participant coming all the way from southern Illinois! At mid-morning the group traveled to a nearby farm field to view corn that had been interseeded with a cover crop mix, returning for a delicious lunch and the afternoon session.
Participants enjoyed learning about a variety of topics, including Haney soil testing, and cover crop species selection. A big thanks to everyone who was involved in planning this event, especially Michael O’Donnell and Supervisors Jeremy Russell and Joe Hamilton.
Upper White River Watershed 205j
During the month of July, Toria Callow, the educational coordinator for the Upper White River Watershed Management Plan project, held two river events with a daycare in Muncie. Each event had 15 students and 4 adults. Students learned about river critters and bugs, while also exploring what keeps those critters alive. Toria also led a lesson and activity at Muncie Sanitary District’s (MSD) Camp Prairie Creek, which was attended by 150 kids and 15-20 adult volunteers. Toria spoke to the kids about wetland ecosystems and led a native wetland plant scavenger hunt. Also during July was the Delaware County Fair where we set up our watershed map to help gather stakeholder perceptions and provided flyers for the public.
In August, we held our 4th Steering + Advisory Committee of the year. These committees were able to go over some of the water quality monitoring data, as well as provide feedback on data presentation. We also held a Rain Barrel workshop in partnership with the MSD in August. More than 20 people were able to learn about water management systems and created their own rain barrels to install at their houses.
In September, Toria co-led a Hoosier Riverwatch Volunteer Training with Riverwatch Coordinator, Dylan Allison. The event was attended by 9 people. Training through the Hoosier Riverwatch program allows people to learn about water quality monitoring, macroinvertebrate sampling, chemical testing, and river habitat assessments. Also in September, we attended the 15th Annual White River cleanup. In total, 205 volunteers removed 3.6 tons of trash and debris from 15 miles of the White River.
Upcoming events: On November 17th, there will be an educational event in partnership with Purdue Extension on the topic of Watershed Health and Management. For all future event details, and past event photos, check out the “Events” tab on the website at upperwhiteriver.com
McVey Memorial Forest Boardwalk Project
An unconventional boardwalk project that Ball State landscape architecture students, architecture students, and faculty began in Spring 2021, was installed this year. The boardwalk connects three trails at McVey Memorial Forest in Randolph County. The decking consists of Indiana grown Hardwood that was thermally modified by EcoVantage. Carboard decking templates were fabricated at the Ball State Digital Fabrication Labs to guide manual cuts of the irregular deck boards.
The project was developed in partnership between Red-tail Land Conservancy, the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District, Madjax Makerspace, and EcoRehab. Additional project funding was provided by the Ball Brothers Foundation and the Larry Roan Fund.
2022 FALL TREE SALE
Several residents have been busy planting trees, shrubs, and perennials purchased through our annual Fall Tree Sale. Those who placed orders back in August picked up their plants at the USDA Service Center on September 22 and 23.
The best-selling item, with 19 sold, was Navaho blackberry, followed by the tulip tree with 15. Oaks were popular, with 24 of various species sold. Customers ordered over 50 fruit trees, including peaches, plums, and cherries; Honeycrisp apple was the biggest seller. In the perennial category, Purple Magnus Coneflower came out on top.
Thank you to all our customers! Also, a big thank-you to Delaware County Master Gardeners, who promoted the sale at their booth at the Minnetrista Farmer’s Market. We’re very happy to be able to offer this service to our community and look forward to seeing our repeat customers and meeting new customers each year.
ALBANY ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY GARDEN UPDATE
A rain barrel, gardening tools, and a sign were delivered to Albany Elementary in September. The sign, reading “Albany Elementary Community Garden” in the school’s colors, will be mounted on the fence surrounding the garden. Students from several classes joined in. The rain barrel was installed, and teacher Sarah Parker explained to students how it will work. Funding for the garden project was generously provided by a Ball Brothers Foundation grant awarded to the SWCD.
2022 POND CLINIC
Jonathan Ferris can make even pond scum interesting. “That’s watermeal...it looks like pea soup,” he told one participant who arrived at the SWCD’s annual Pond Clinic with a container of a bright green liquid from his pond. There were lots of smiles and laughs throughout the evening, as Mr. Ferris infused his informative presentation with stories and bits of humor.
Mr. Ferris, who’s with Purdue Extension in Wayne County, drew from his years of experience helping folks with their pond and wildlife questions, and his own experiences as a wildlife biologist and outdoorsman. His presentation covered aquatic weed ID and management, fish stocking and management, and nuisance wildlife control. This year’s clinic took place on September 29th, at the Farm Bureau building on St Rd 67. Fifteen attended.
If you missed this year’s Pond Clinic, there’s always next year’s. All the handouts that Mr. Ferris shared are available to download for free online at Purdue’s “The Education Store.”
High Street Dam Feasibility Study
FlatLand Resources has been working with the SWCD, the MSD, IDNR LARE program, and the USFWS on examining the potential for full removal, partial removal, or modification of the High Street Dam in downtown Muncie. The last of the dams to either be removed or modified in Muncie, the High Street Dam is also the most complex. Sewer infrastructure, piers of the High Street bridge, and an ACOE levee all play into the discussion and outcome of the project. The SWCD will be scheduling public input meetings for the project here in the near future. Please reach out if you would like information on when and where these meetings will be occurring.
Drinking Water Sampling Completed
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District has recently completed its free drinking water well sampling for homeowners in Delaware County. We are so greatful for the past support of this program from our local foudnations!
If you are interested in information about drinking water sampling, please contact us at 765-747-5531 ext 3 or delcoswcd@gmail.com. We would be happy to connect you with local companies that provide this service.
Upper White River Watershed 205j
The past couple of months have been eventful for the Upper White River Watershed Management Plan. In March of this year, Toria Callow began working as the social media and educational coordinator. The website (upperwhiteriver.com) has been updated to include more maps, past and future educational events, and more information about our water quality monitoring efforts.
Water quality monitoring was extended an extra month to cover gaps in data from a few times where we were unable to gather water samples. This data was recently returned from the MSD BWQ (Muncie Sanitary District Bureau of Water Quality). We are actively working to analyze this data and track trends. In April we held an educational event in partnership with the BWQ about river education and water quality. We had a great turnout with a mixture of ages from kids to adults. In May we held Steering and
Advisory Committee meetings to help move the project forward and give feedback on our current progress. In June we attended the Minnetrista Garden Fair and attended the MSD BWQ river float to collect stakeholder feedback from participants.
Looking forward, we are partnering with the BWQ and SWCD on a rain barrel making event in August. Toria will be teaching several educational events for kids in the month of July for various daycares and camps. We are also working with TNC to gather stakeholder data and public perception at the end of August. Please check out our website Events (upperwhiteriver.com), or call 765-284-2328 for topics, dates, times, and locations of all upcoming events!
Indiana American Water Dam Modification
FlatLand Resources began constructing the rock riffle at the Indiana American Water Dam located on the east side of Muncie. The dam is necessary to ensure a perpetual availability of water supply for city residents and businesses and therefore could not be removed. The alternative is to build a rock riffle on the downstream side of the dam at a 3% slope. The riffle will be made of rip rap and glacial till boulders ranging in size from 12 - 36”. Once completed, the riffle will allow for safe passage for canoers and kayakers heading downstream and present opportunities for fish to move upstream to historic breeding and feeding grounds in the headwaters of the White River. The project should take 3-4 weeks to complete. Project partners include MSD Bureau of Water Quality, IDNR LARE program, USFWS Fish Passage Program and the Ed and Virginia Ball Foundation.
65th ANNUAL MEETING
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District 65th Annual Dinner Meeting was held February 17, 2022 at the Knights of Columbus Family Center..
Chairman Erik Fisher opened the meeting, welcomed the guests, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and introduced District staff and partners present. Vice-Chairman Joe Hamilton gave the invocation. Our dinner was catered by Grand Grilling.
Treasurer John Newby introduced Joe Hamilton as the supervisor nominee named by the election committee. He then opened the nominations to the floor. Being none, there was a motion made from the floor to close the election, this was seconded, and passed. John read Joe’s bio from the program. As there was only one nominee, attendees were asked to raise their hand in favor, then the same motion for opposed. None were raised in opposition. Joe was re-elected as supervisor.
Paige Story provided a presentation regarding the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) 205j White River grant. Del Brinson introduced our speaker, Jeff Boyer, Superintendent of Davis Purdue Agricultural Center. Mr. Boyer spoke about the farm, with a special focus on the history and management of its forests. He answered several questions from the audience following his presentation.
Jeremy recognized Shroyer Brothers Farm as our “River Friendly Farmer for 2021”. Jeremy followed that with the Oath of Office for the supervisors.
Erik presented Becky Daugherty with a plaque recognizing her exceptional service to the District over the past seven years. Names were drawn for door prizes. Erik made closing remarks and the meeting was adjourned.
MINNETRISTA’S GARDEN FAIR
The SWCD had a booth at Minnetrista’s Garden Fair in early June. We shared informational materials with students, teachers, and rural and urban residents. It was an enjoyable two days. We tried to have a little bit for everyone. Materials covered topics including backyard ponds and larger ponds, how to identify and control invasive species, attracting wildlife to backyards, composting, NRCS and FSA programs, and many more. The variety of information sparked a lot of good conversations. We also showed off our new tools, The Extractigator and The Uprooter Mini. Thank you to Minnetrista for hosting this wonderful annual event!
2022 FARM FEST
Kids are attracted to pizza like bees to honey. That’s what we learned on March 15 & 16 at the Delaware County Farm Fest. After our huge fake pizza drew kids to our booth, we showed them how the ingredients in pizza start with the soil. Our felt board “pizza farm” allowed kids to “grow” a pizza. The kids placed cards in order on the board, beginning with soil. Many children enjoyed the activity so much that they didn’t leave until they’d put every card on the board. We also had free literature for visitors to browse through and take home; a display of our recent activities; and our cover crop tubes, which showed the roots of radish, clover, and hairy vetch plants. Thank you to Wes and his son for constructing this great educational display! We also gave away 50 conservation activity bags to children.
NEW TOOL LOAN PROGRAM
The SWCD recently purchased two manual uprooting tools, The Extractigator and The Uprooter Mini. These are available for borrowing. The loan period is one week. You must make an appointment to pick up and drop off the tool, as office hours can be variable. These tools can be handy for removing invasive and unwanted trees and shrubs that are small in size. They work best when soil is moist and won’t work on every type of tree. Care should be taken when using the tool, as smaller diameter stems sometimes break. One potential drawback to this type of tool is that pulling can disturb soil and expose seeds to sunlight, causing them to germinate. In other words, it can cause more invasive species to sprout and grow. Therefore, you should continue to monitor the area and pull any new seedlings you see. However, pulling invasive species with taproots, such as callery pear, causes little soil disturbance. So far, The Extractigator has been used to uproot tree seedlings in the 2,300 sq ft rain swale at Motivate Our Minds. Fourth and fifth graders at MOMs had fun using the tool and were amazed at what they could do with it.
RAISED BEDS INSTALLED AT ALBANY ELEMENTARY
About a dozen faculty and kids helped install raised bed gardens at Albany Elementary this June. The group started early in the morning and finished in time for lunch at Pizza King. The seven garden beds will be used by students during the school year to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Former principal Joe Schmaltz and teacher Sarah Parker led the project. Funding was generously provided by a Ball Brothers Foundation grant awarded to the SWCD for education and community outreach initiatives. Jerry Scott of the Town of Albany assisted, using the town’s skid steer to move gravel and soil. The Muncie Sanitary District donated a barrel that will be modified to collect rain. A gutter and downspout had previously been installed on the school’s shed in preparation for it. Albany United Methodist Church previously installed fencing around the project. A big thank you to everyone who helped out!
2022 Delaware County Tree Sale!
Delaware County SWCD is excited to announce our 2022 tree sale! Information about our tree sale (including species and sizes) can be found in our Tree Sale Brochure which can be downloaded at the following link:
Tree Sale Brochure
2022 Tree Sale Brochure - Delaware Co.pdf
Here are some important things to keep in mind:
• Order Form with payment is due to our office Friday, August 12, 2022.
• We accept cash or check only.
• You can mail or bring your order to 3641 N Briarwood Lane (USDA Service Center) Muncie IN 47304 Hours: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm
• We cannot control the inventory at our various nurseries. If an item is out of stock we will gladly refund your money.
• The Delaware County SWCD cannot offer guarantees on any item in our tree sale.
• If you know of a tree, shrub, or flower you would like and don’t see it listed, ask us! We can also get larger sizes if you wish for something a bit older. The prices will change accordingly.
• You do not have to be a Delaware County resident to order trees.
Where do you pick up your order?
• All trees are to be picked up at our office at the address above.
When do you pick up your orders?
• All items can be picked up at the following times: Thursday, September 22th 8am-4pm or Friday, September 23th 8am-4pm
• If you are unable to pick up during these times, please make arrangements with us!!
65th Annual Dinner Meeting
Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 6:30 pm
Knights of Columbus Family Center
3600 W Purdue, Muncie IN.
Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 6:30 pm
Knights of Columbus Family Center
3600 W Purdue, Muncie IN.
Featured Speaker – Jeff Boyer, Davis Purdue Ag Center
catered by Grand Grilling
Tickets $10 each. Please make reservations by February 10, 2022 with check or cash only.
by mail: Del. Co. Soil & Water Cons. District,
3641 N Briarwood Lane, Muncie IN 47304
or stopping by the office.
Please make checks payable to Del. Co. SWCD
* Please note - Due to COVID, we will follow social distancing guidelines and request face masks be worn.*
2021 Delaware County Tree Sale!
Delaware County SWCD is excited to announce our 2021 tree sale! Information about our tree sale (including species and sizes) can be found in our Tree Sale Brochure which can be downloaded at the following link:
Tree Sale Brochure
Tree Sale Brochure - Delaware Co.pdf
Here are some important things to keep in mind:
• Order Form with payment is due to our office Friday, August 13, 2021.
• We accept cash or check only.
• You can mail or bring your order to 3641 N Briarwood Lane (USDA Service Center) Muncie IN 47304 Hours: M-F 8:30am-2:00pm
• We cannot control the inventory at our various nurseries. If an item is out of stock we will gladly refund your money.
• The Delaware County SWCD cannot offer guarantees on any item in our tree sale.
• If you know of a tree, shrub, or flower you would like and don’t see it listed, ask us! We can also get larger sizes if you wish for something a bit older. The prices will change accordingly.
• You do not have to be a Delaware County resident to order trees.
Where do you pick up your order?
• All trees are to be picked up at our office at the address above.
When do you pick up your orders?
• All items can be picked up at the following times: Thursday, September 16th 9am-2pm Friday, September 17th 9am-2pm
• If you are unable to pick up during these times, please make arrangements with us!!
64th Annual Dinner Meeting
Thursday, March 11, 2021, 6:30 pm
Knights of Columbus
3600 W Purdue, Muncie IN.
Thursday, March 11, 2021, 6:30 pm
Knights of Columbus
3600 W Purdue, Muncie IN.
Please join us to enjoy dinner, friendly conversation, and door prizes. There will be a brief business meeting to elect one supervisor (see nominee on page 3) and review 2020 activities.
Our speaker for the evening will be Janet McCabe, Director of the Environmental Resilience Institute. Tickets for the evening are $10 per person and can be purchased by stopping by our office or mailing a check to us at 3641 N Briarwood Lane, Muncie IN 47304.
We ask that reservations be made by Thursday, March 4, 2021 (see newsletter page 6 for reservation form). Please feel free to contact Becky in our office if you have any questions, 765-747-5531 ext. 3 or delcoswcd@gmail.com. Look forward to seeing you there!!
This meeting is being planned as an in-person meeting with the hopes COVID-19 is well under control by this date. Please note: we may still social distance and request face masks be worn. If COVID-19 is not in control, other arrangements for the meeting will be made.
Delaware Co. Invasive Plant Project Meetings
Monthly meetings for the Delaware Co. Invasive Plant Project (DIPP) have been planned for the second Wednesday of every month beginning at 4:00 pm. There is no charge to participate and network. You may be helping plan educational events, workshops, and the future of the group. DIPP is the local group of a state wide Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA). The focus of the group is education regarding and eradication of invasive species. Due to COVID-19, the meetings are currently being held virtually, but will return to in-person once it is considered safe to do so. For more information or to participate in the meetings, please contact us at 765-747-5531 ext. 3 or delcoswcd@gmail.com. You may also contact the group via our "Facebook" page.
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District
Receives State Association "District Showcase" Award
Receives State Association "District Showcase" Award
On October 28, 2020, the Indiana State Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) announced Delaware County was selected as one of three "District Showcase" awards for 2020.
The "District Showcase" awards are awarded annually to Indiana Districts who demonstrate exceptional work and are making a difference in their local communities and beyond.
We were recognized with this award for our participation in projects that monitor water quality and remove or modify dams along the White River in Muncie. In collaboration with several partners, these projects have improved recreational activity and safety, wildlife habitat and the aquatic environment.
Josh Gruver has served on the Board of Supervisors for the Delaware Co. SWCD since 2013. He served as Vice Chairman for two years and as Chairman for the last two years. We have appreciated his leadership, guidance, insights, and perspectives. Josh is stepping down as a Supervisor to concentrate on his duties and responsibilties at Ball State University and pursue other interests. We certainly hope he visits us as an Associate Supervisor!!!
District Showcase Presentation
Join Delaware County SWCD as they discuss local projects that monitor water quality and remove or modify dams along the White River. In collaboration with several partners, these projects have improved recreational activity and safety, wildlife habitats, and aquatic environments.
December 3
Time: 10 am (EST)
(Please contact the district for Zoom link information)
Indiana’s District Showcase Award is designed to highlight the success of three local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) in the Hoosier state. The award focus allows Districts the opportunity to share new project ideas or better ways to design and implement existing conservation projects, etc. The award is sponsored by the Indiana Conservation Partnership.
THANK YOU JOSH!!
Josh Gruver has served on the Board of Supervisors for the Delaware Co. SWCD since 2013. He served as Vice Chairman for two years and as Chairman for the last two years. We have appreciated his leadership, guidance, insights, and perspectives. Josh is stepping down as a Supervisor to concentrate on his duties and responsibilties at Ball State University and pursue other interests. We certainly hope he visits us as an Associate Supervisor!!!
IDEM GRANT RECIEVED
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District has been awarded a 205j grant by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). This grant is for $145,000 for the development of a watershed management plan for the Upper White River watershed. The watershed area includes the Muncie Creek, Buck Creek, and Killbuck Creek watersheds in Randolph, Henry, Delaware, and Madison counties.
The watershed management plan is to include the development and execution of water quality monitoring and the creation and execution of an education and outreach program over a three year span. The water quality monitoring plan, known as a "Quality Assurance Project Plan" (QAPP), will be created to provide guidance for the monitoring activities at twenty-six site throughout the watershed. The education and outreach program will discuss and encourage behavorial changes within the community to reduce non-ponit source pollution in the watershed.
The Delaware Co. SWCD will be partnering with multiple foundations and organizations such as the
Muncie Bureau of Water Quality, Ball Brothers Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and the White River Alliance to complete the watershed management plan.
FREE Drinking Water Sampling
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District is offering free drinking water sampling for residents of Delaware County. If samples are from a well, testing will be performed for bacteria, arsenic, lead, copper, and nitrates. If samples are from a public source, testing will only be for lead and copper. We are scheduling appointments now to resume this sampling once COVID is under control. Please contact us at 765-747-5531 ext 3 or delcoswcd@gmail.com to be put on our sampling list.
Delaware County SWCD Election of Supervisors
The Board of Supervisors consists of three elected supervisors and two appointed supervisors. These supervisors serve three year terms, encouraging conservation practices and activities throughout all of Delaware county. An individual of voting age or a representative of a firm, company, or corporation that owns or rents land/property located within the district/county may vote. (Eligible individuals also include the owner and tenant of the same land/property as well as any owner's or tenant's spouse.)
Nominee for the 2021 election is Del Brinson of Cowan. In addition to this nominee, nominations may be made from the floor during the election process at the District's Annual Meeting.
The election will be held during the District's Annual Meeting, March 11, 2021
The requirements to hold the position of elected supervisor for a Soil and Water Conservation District are stated in Indiana Code 14-32-4-1. These requirements include:
1. Must be an occupier of a tract of land that is located within the district;
2. Must maintain the individual's permanent residence within the district; and
3. Must be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties that this imposes on supervisors.
The nomination committee consists of one current SWCD Supervisor and two concerned citizens formed by Nov. 1 each year. This committee determines nominees suitable to be supervisors and forwards those names to the Indiana State Soil Board by Dec. 1 for approval.
Anyone interested in serving as a supervisor may contact our office to be considered by the next nomination committee. Please call 765-747-5531 ext. 3 or email: delcoswcd@gmail.com.
Delaware County SWCD Election of Supervisors
Del Brinson works as a Precision Agronomist for Advanced Agrilytics. In this role he works closely with his grower customers finding ways to improve overall yields in their operations. He does this by utilizing a combination of unique variable rate prescriptions for fertilizer, seeding, nitrogen, and pest management. Del has spent 21 years as a Certified Crop Advisor working in the ag business including time with Cargill in northwest Indiana as a crop consultant, agronomy sales with AgBest Coop in Gaston and 11+ years with Dekalb/Asgrow as a District Sales Manager in East Central Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University in 1999. He currently serves as a board member for Second Harvest Food Bank. Del and his wife, Jayne, and their two teenaged children live in the Cowan area.
Interested in being an Associate Supervisor??
Call our office at 765-747-5531 ext 3 or just stop in for one of our Board Meetings, scheduled on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8:30 am - *Please call to confirm meeting times and location during the COVID pandemic. We do practice social distancing and encourage face mask precautions or we may meet virtually.
Plat Books
Delaware County Plat Books available $25.00/copy Full Color Spiral Bound
CONSERVATION PRACTICES AT WORK IN DELAWARE COUNTY SPOTLIGHT ON FOUR LANDOWNERS DOING THEIR PART FOR ALL OF US
Lauren Didier, our 2020 Summer Intern, had the opportunity to visit with three of these four landowners (below) to learn, and write, about their practices. Thank you to Lauren for her assistance this past summer.
JOE HAMILTON
Joe Hamilton is a producer farming approx. 2,500 acres, with his father John, in south central Delaware County. They produce corn and soybeans. The Hamilton operation implements conservation practices of no till, nutrient management, pest management, cover crops, and pollinator habitat enhancement.
As the practice name "no till" suggests, there is very little to no disturbance of the soil. Thus there is no disturbance to the organisms and micro-organisms living in the soil and no disburtance to the structure created in the soil. This creates "healthier" soil, improves water penetration, and reduces soil compaction and erosion.
Nutrient management utilizes soil tests to guide the use and application rate of fertilizers in the operation. This allows for the right nutrient source, at the right time, in the right place, at the right rate.
Pest management includes "scounting" fields to understand what pests (weeds or damaging insects) are present when, then treating only those areas indicated, as needed.
The practice of cover crops is another step in creating healthier soil, reducing compaction and erosion, and improving water penetration.
Planted in late fall, cover crops also "feed" the organisms and micro-organisms in the soil, increasing their quantity and activity. This increase creates a natural nutrient source for cash crops. Cover crops also stabilize nutrients in the soil over the winter, releasing them, as they die and decay, for the next cash crop. Another benefit of cover crops is weed suppression, reducing the need for herbicide use.
Joe's pollinator habitat is a site-specific plan for the improvement, restoration, or expansion of flower-rich habitat to support native and/or managed pollinators. Thirty percent of the planting is intended to attract Monarch butterflies, while the remaining is to attract other species of pollinators that are vital to the ecosystems and to promote biodiversity.
LANDESS FARMS
Landess Farms is operated by Jesse and Susan Landess, and their son Jeff, in southwest Delaware County. Landess Farms has been in operation for four generations,but has concentrated on specialty crops, ie: fruit and vegetables, for the past several years. Some of their crops are strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, sweet corn, and honey.
Landess' have implemented the conservation practice of high tunnel systems. High tunnel systems are plastic covered, metal ribbed structures used for growing plants. Similar in structure to green houses where plants are grown in pots or containers, in high tunnels the plants are grown directly in the soil under the structure.
Use of a high tunnel protects crops from wind, sun, excessive rainfall, and extends the growing season, improving plant health and vigor. High tunnels can be built with roll-up sides to enhance the control of the interior environment. Collecting rain runoff of the tunnel can be an irrigation source for the tunnel.
Jesse feels weed and pest control is easier and the need for chemicals is less. With the increase of heavier, more frequent rain events, being able to control the watering of the plants inside the tunnel has been very important. They have seen an increase in production and believe their produce is a higher quality than before the tunnels. Jesse comments "We are thankful for the EQIP program and the funding support for the high tunnels.
JOHN NEWBY REFORESTATION
John Newby is a landowner who is dedicated to improving what he has. He purchased active agricultural land in northwest Delaware County and decided to establish a hardwood forest. The conservation practice he implemented is Tree/Shrub Establishment Code 612.
John's planting consisted of three thousand tree seedlings: 400 White Oak, 400 Red Oak, 400 Shumard Oak, 400 Bur Oak, 300 Black Walnut, 300 Swamp White Oak, 300 Shagbark Hickory, 300 Pin Oak, and 200 Tamarack across his 6.1 acres. Diversity is an essential part of a native planting.
Trees create/improve habitat for desired wildlife, control erosion, improve water quality through filtration of excess nutrients and other pollutants in runoff and groundwater,
sequester and store carbon, and provide for beneficial organisms and pollinators. John maintains a path through his small forest, allowing him and his wife to walk through and enjoy their peaceful, relaxing native "backyard". Since his planting, he has seen an influx of the Indiana bat, deer, birds, and rabbits. Additionally, he has noticed volunteer starts of tulip poplar and dogwoods, along with native habitat growth for pollinators.
Unfortunately, he has also noticed a few invasive plants beginning to grow. He will remove those and scout for new growth periodically. John knows controlling the invasives is an important part of growing a healthy forest.
STAN CLAMME
Stan Clamme is a beef producer located in north central Delaware County. He is currently raising approx. 200 head of cattle. His first conservation practice was to restrict his cattle from ravines and a creek by constructing fence and installing culverts. This reduces stress on the streambanks, reduces sediment disturbance, and stops the cattle from defecating in the stream.
Next, he installed approx. 2,500 feet of water pipelines and 3 water hydrants allowing his cattle to drink in each of his 3 grazing paddocks. This practice is to decentralize the water source for the cattle.
With those grazing paddocks, Stan is implementing the conservation practice of rotational grazing. This consists of letting the cattle graze in one paddock until the forage has been eaten down to a defined height, then moving them to the next paddock. This improves the forage health and strength by not over-grazing and allows the forage to grow back easier and quicker. Two years ago, he enhanced his paddocks by frost seeding red clover.
Stan has also practiced heavy use area (HUA) protection. He installed a concrete pad where he keeps and feeds his cattle when the ground in the paddocks is too soft or wet for them to be on. This practice reduces erosion, compaction, and protects water quaility. Most recently, Stan built a 72' x 60' covered and sided manure storage facility. This is a conservation practice that allows him to store the manure he removes from his HUA until conditions allow him to properly spread the manure on his fields. Stan believes the EQIP program is a "great opportunity that more producers should look into for their farms. It helps fund many practices that some producers just aren't aware of".
IDEM 319 GRANT UPDATE
This Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) grant is for the Mississinewa River Watershed. This watershed includes sections in Grant, Blackford, Delaware, Jay, Randolph, and Darke (OH) counties. It provides for water quality monitoring, cost share for best management (conservation) practices for producers, and public outreach and education. It began in May 2018 and ends May 2021.
The outreach and education has been workshops for homeowner septic systems, rainbarrel installations, and river cleanups. This part of the grant has been difficult to manage since COVID broke out. We hope to offer more educational opportunities before the grant ends.
The water monitoring sampling is being performed in three locations. Sites are located on Deer Creek in Grant county, Halfway Creek in Delaware county, and Bush Creek in Randolph county. Samples are analyzed locally by a private firm, then the data is uploaded to the Hoosier Riverwatch database. This is a public site and database. The website address is: www.hoosierriverwatch.com. Volunteers are welcome to participate in the sampling process. Please contact us at 765-747-5531 ext. 3 or delcoswcd@gmail.com to learn more.
Producers have received cost share for planting cover crops and forage and biomass, and we anticipate two will receive cost share for establishment of grassed waterways. All practices must be compliant with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) guidelines to receive cost share..
GEORGE AND FRANCES BALL FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD
Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District has been awarded a grant to fund ongoing Regional Watershed coordination efforts through a Regional Project Manager.
The Regional Project Manager will function in a supporting role to assist regional SWCDs in executing their strategic planning objectives. This will be accomplished by helping to support a group of diverse community members dedicated to enhancing, protecting, and rehabilitating the regional watersheds through education, participation, promotion, and implementation of on-the-ground practices designed to improve soil and water quality in the East Central Indiana Region.
DID YOU KNOW?
The average American family uses approx. 300 gallons of water per day at home.
Dripping faucets and spigots can waste as much as 2,700 gallons of water per year
Reducing your shower time by 2 minutes can save up to 1,800 gallons of water a year.
Turning the water off while you brush your teeth or while shaving, will save up to 4 gallons of water per minute.